Vincent’s lone eye bore into Alyssa like he were trying to dig her soul out from under her skin with his attention alone. It sent shivers running down the back of Alex’s spine. Saying that there was malice within the Starfallen’s gaze would have been wrong.

There was scorn for the fool that had passed up on the opportunity that he was about to take advantage of. There was curiosity and desire, but it was the desire in the eyes of a child that had found a new toy that would soon be forgotten.

But there was no malice.

Malice would have required him to see literally any of them as something worth hating. Something worth fighting. No — the emotion in the Starfallen’s gaze was the very same as that of a dog breeder spotting a dirt-covered purebred miraculously abandoned in the pound.

Alex drew on his magic, keeping his features neutral. Derek’s grip on his sword tightened and the large man started to edge to the side as if trying to flank Vincent whilst in broad view. Wess raised his gun and Claire’s jaw set.

“We dealt with the River King,” Alex said.

“So you did,” Vincent allowed, his attention not even budging from Alyssa. “But your offer is not yet complete. You claimed to be able to open the door. If you cannot do that, then I have no use for you.”

“And if we can?” Claire asked. “What do we get out of it at this point?”

“You think to get something from me?” Vincent’s voice curdled in disdain. “What leverage do you have? What makes you think I could not kill you all here and now, restrictions or not? The inconveniences placed upon me by the System are annoying — but they are nowhere near enough to let you challenge me.”

“It’s not about us being able to kill you or not,” Claire replied. “It’s about costs and rewards. You get absolutely nothing from killing us. The System probably wouldn’t even register it as a proper challenge. If it did, you’d be a pretty pathetic Starfallen. But if you kill us — you can’t get that door open. You wouldn’t have traveled with the River King if you could. That means the only value we provide to you is when we’re alive. Killing us is an inconvenience.”

Vincent was silent for a moment. His attention still remained firmly fixed on Alyssa. Everyone’s was. The conversation felt more like a thin veneer, a cloak hiding whatever their true goals were.

Derek continued his slow circle around Vincent. The large man had actually made it surprisingly far without drawing much attention. He was already almost behind the Starfallen, though there was a pretty good chance that was only because Vincent didn’t care what Derek was doing.

“You think an inconvenience is enough to bargain with me?” Vincent asked.

“Yes,” Claire said. “Because you’re here for the door. And to open it, it’s in your best interest to keep us alive. But why would we help you if we know you’re just going to kill us afterward?”

“Well argued,” Vincent said. “Very well. Provided that you open the door, I will not kill any of you today. I give you my word as a Starfallen.”

Alex blinked. That had been easier than he’d expected.

“Not even close to sufficient,” Claire said.

Vincent’s eye narrowed in anger. “You imply my word is untrustworthy?”

“No,” Claire replied, watching the Starfallen through narrowed eyes. “I’m implying that your offer is a load of shit and doesn’t protect us in the slightest. There are so many loopholes in it that there might as well be no offer at all. You could leave us severely wounded, come back in a day and kill us, or kidnap us and just wait until tomorrow to kill us. The way you’re staring at Alyssa is not helping your case.”

A haughty laugh slipped from behind Vincent’s mask. “Very well. Perhaps I was too forward with that offer. What would you suggest, then? Speak quickly. My patience wanes.”

“You do not interact with us in any manner whatsoever, including indirect, from this point up until everyone has left the dungeon. You will not seek us out and will hold no ill will toward us for anything that happened within the dungeon.”

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“Why would I agree to such a deal?” Vincent asked. “It favors you far more than I. And make no mistake — if you cannot open that door, I will kill all of you. I see no reason to leave useless pawns alive.”

“The deal is contingent on us opening the door,” Claire said. “The rest of it is perfectly reasonable. What reason would you possibly have for seeing any of us out? The only reason you’re here is to get through the door. That’s what you told us — unless you were lying about your goals.”

She’s got him there.

Vincent’s eye was still affixed on Alyssa. It was pretty evident that his goals had most certainly expanded beyond merely just the door.

“Give me the girl,” Vincent said. “If you add her into the deal, I will accept your terms.”

Alyssa’s face paled.

“No,” Alex said.

Wess shook his head as well. “Not interested, mate. I don’t sell people out. It’s bad for repeat business.”

“We’re not giving you anyone,” Claire said. “Make a choice. The door or Alyssa. You aren’t getting both. Except…”

Vincent’s eye narrowed. But, before he could say anything, Claire flicked her whip. It split the air with a loud crack and a dark blur.

Alex’s eyes widened as he, along with everyone other than Vincent, flinched in surprise. He yanked in preparation for a fight — but Claire’s attack wasn’t headed for the Starfallen. Her whip wound around Alyssa’s neck in a snap.

The painter’s eyes bulged as the whip coiled around her, its thorns digging into her neck as it tightened. She let out a pained wheeze.

“What are you doing?” Wess exclaimed, turning his gun toward Claire. “Stop—”

Alex activated his domain, appearing beside Wess. He grabbed the other man’s gun and yanked its barrel down and out of the way.

“Don’t,” Alex hissed. “She knows what she’s doing.”

Claire ignored them.

“I misspoke,” Claire said. “The door or nothing. You’re fast. Faster than any of us could realistically fight against. But if you don’t agree to our terms, then I’m killing Alyssa here and now. It doesn’t change the outcome for any of us. We’ll all be dead anyway. You’re not getting her no matter how the dice roll.”

“And if I call your bluff?” Vincent asked. Derek was now completely behind him, between Vincent and the door, but the Starfallen hadn’t even glanced back. His attention had still yet to leave Alyssa. “Would you really kill your ally?”

“It wouldn’t be the first time,” Claire replied. “Feel free to show me I’m wrong. But if you’re thinking that you’re faster than I am and that you can stop me from killing Alyssa… well, you might be right. But Alex can teleport. You’ve seen it. You’re not faster than him. Refuse our terms and she dies with us.”

Alyssa swallowed. “Claire’s right. And even if you stop both of them, I’ll bite my own tongue. I’ll kill myself before I join your family.”

“Are you so certain?” Vincent asked, tilting his head to the side. “Do you even realize what the Starfallen offer? Safety. Power. You are turning down power beyond your greatest dreams.”

“Golden chains,” Alyssa said. “I’ve had them before, and I don’t want them again. I’ll pass. There’s been enough disgusting gold today to last me a lifetime.”

“The greatest resource,” Vincent murmured. “And to have found it so soon. This is truly a Tier 1 world.”

Then his eye shifted, pulling away from Alyssa to meet Claire’s gaze.

“Make your choice,” Claire said.

“I accept your terms,” Vincent said. “I will not seek any of you out. But when the day comes that I meet you again — and your ambition makes it clear that day will come — I will act as I desire.”

“That’s the best we’re going to get from him,” Claire said.

Vincent raised a finger. “I’m not done. This is all, of course, dependent on your promise that you are able to open the door. If you cannot, then your terms do not hold. You will stand down. Alyssa will come with me… and I will kill all of you for your insolence.”

Claire glanced at Alex. The two of them then looked to Alyssa.

She swallowed once. Then her jaw set and she gave them a faint nod — taking care not to impale herself on the thorns of Claire’s whip.

“I accept.”

“Then so do the rest of us,” Alex said.

Claire flicked her whip, uncoiling it from Alyssa’s neck and yanking it back to herself. The painter rubbed at her neck with a grimace. Then she gave Claire a small nod of appreciation.

“Very good,” Vincent said. “Then open the door. And I would suggest you hurry. If someone arrives here and opens it before you, I will not be accrediting it to your efforts… and with the River King gone, it seems you will need to choose your sacrifice—”

There was a wet thud.

Vincent turned. Everyone in the room followed his gaze.

Derek fell, his sword impaled right through his heart. His back hit the door and he slid down, leaving a trail of blood along the wood in his wake. Then he flopped forward to land face-first on the grass, dead.

Then a faint click echoed through the moment of stunned silence. And, without another second of waste, the door swung open. A coiling vortex of pale green energy twisted within its frame in wait.

Derek drew in a sharp breath. He rolled over and sat upright, the light in his eyes sputtering back as he came back to life. The berserker glanced at the opened door. Then looked back to the others.

Everyone stared at him in disbelief. Even Vincent seemed taken aback.

That worked? Are you serious?

“Opened it,” Derek said. He paused. “What’s wrong? Why’s everyone looking at me like that?”